Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO)

What is the Minnesota Senior Health Options Program?

The Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) is a health care program that combines separate health programs and support systems into one health care package. It is for people ages 65 and older who are eligible for Medical Assistance (MA) and enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. People can choose to join MSHO or stay in their current MA program. MSHO enrollees are assigned a care coordinator who will help them get their health care and related support services.

One person’s MSHO experience

Larry is a 75-year-old man with health problems. His health problems have made it hard for him to take care of his home and his personal hygiene. In one year, he was in the hospital four times for dehydration. His meals often include canned foods, cheese, lunch meat and soda. Larry is very independent and doesn’t like to ask for help.

After joining MSHO, Larry met with a care coordinator. His care coordinator helped him get the health care services he needed. Now, Meals-on-Wheels brings him a daily meal. A nurse visits him every two weeks to help him manage his diabetes and medication. A home health aide visits him three times a week to help him with hygiene and personal care and he gets weekly homemaking services and chore services. The care coordinator also helped him schedule regular doctor’s appointments. During the first six months of joining MSHO, Larry was not hospitalized once. He even told his care coordinator that she is his "ray of sunshine."

Who can enroll in MSHO?

MSHO is for people who:

• are eligible for Medical Assistance and enrolled in both Medicare Parts A and B

How to enroll

To enroll in MSHO, you must be eligible for MA or already have Medicare coverage. If you have questions about health care programs, contact the county human services agency in which you live. If you have questions about Medicare, visit www.medicare.gov or call the Senior Linkage Line® at 1-800-333-2433.

If you already have MA and want to enroll in MSHO, contact one of the MSHO health plans.